To Be Hokage
by YawnyPenguin
Summary: To be Hokage. That was his dream. That was Naruto. My take on what would happen if Naruto dies fighting Sasuke during Shippuden. ONE SHOT.


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

**(Listen to 'Man of the World' in the Naruto Shippuden OST. SRS. It just wouldn't be the same without sad music.)**

(Set in future Shippuden)

**To Be Hokage**

That's what he wanted. It was his dream. He wanted to be Hokage. One that could relate to his fellow shinobi. One that could stop all war. One that could strive to create happiness not sadness and despair. One that could find peace in the world of shinobi for his master. But, for him, one day, it all stopped. War, sadness, despair. Happiness was what he felt. No more heartbreak. No more tragedy. No more sorrow. Just love and joy. Finally, he could join his beloved father, mother, past friends and be happy.

That was Naruto.

* * *

"Itachi is dead because of your beloved village. There's nothing you can save me from. I will slaughter every last citizen of your selfish village."

"SASUKE! IF ITACHI WANTED TO PROTECT THE VILLAGE, DESTROYING IT WOULD GO AGAINST HIS WILL! ITACHI WANTED TO PROTECT YOU! YOU CAN STILL BE SAVED. FOR ITACHI'S SAKE!"

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW ITACHI! I don't want to be saved." Sasuke said adamantly. Both were barely standing. Both were nearly dead. Both were cut and wounded, "I will avenge my brother even if it means killing you."

"I know he cared for you." Naruto stood up unsteadily on the water slouched and too weak to do anything else, "Sasuke. Why? I thought we were brothers too. I want to save you Sasuke. I want to be your friend again. Your brother."

"It's been over three years Naruto. It's pitiful you're still trying. Nothing you say can change my mind. It's too late! I HAVE NO MORE BROTHERS! I'LL DESTROY THE LEAF EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!"

"I know... Like the last time... I couldn't stop you... I just want it to be like it used to be. I want to be friends again, Sasuke. 'When will this rain stop'... right? Sasuke?" tears rolled down his face as he smiled weakly.

"Now I know the truth, IT WILL NEVER BE LIKE IT USED TO!"

Now, with a murderous look in Sasuke's eyes, he summoned the strength to carry on as he ran through the rain at Naruto with pure hatred.

"CHIDORI!"

Naruto stopped his chakra control and plunged himself into the water and, as he thought back, he smiled.

_"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone."_

_"You're not hurt, are you? Scaredy-cat."_

_"You should see the look on your face, you- you look like a total loser."_

_"Why- Why did you... Save me? Why did you do it?" __"I don't know why. I just did."_

_"Naruto, don't let your dream die..."_

_"You are one of the ones I want to fight the most."_

_"Just shut up for once! What the hell do you know about it?! It's not like you ever had a family in the first place! You were on your own right from the beginning, what makes you think you know anything about it?! Huh?! I'm suffering now because I had those ties, how on earth could you possibly understand, what it feels like to lose all that?!"_

Naruto rose to the top of the water with Sasuke waiting silently. Eyes stained in blood, clothes dirt-covered and body covered bruises and cuts.

"You can be Hokage in your afterlife. But not now. You're not getting in my way. This will be your death." Sasuke announced whilst he unsheathed his sword.

"How could I be Hokage, if I can't even save a friend..?"

"DIE!"

_Hm... Why do you have so much hatred... towards me..? This could have been different... Sasuke..._

The red essence stained the sword as one of it's most memorable victims:

**Naruto Uzumaki, Team 7, proud Shinobi of the Leaf.**

Sasuke's face was plain, emotionless, distant. He drew his sword back as it dripped with blood of his ex-teammate whilst he walked ahead leaving Naruto's body lifeless as he lay there.

* * *

"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed as she frantically made her way to Naruto's body, "NARUTO!"

Kakashi was quick on her trail and arrived to find the crying Sakura unknowing what to do.

"Naruto... He's... dead..?"

"He's not dead Kakashi sensei! He can't be! I'm not going to lose another teammate! You're not dead Naruto. Come on... Wake up! I'm really not joking... Stop fooling around! Naruto... Wake up..."

"Sakur-"

"We need to get him back." Sakura said as she stood up with Naruto's arm over her shoulder.

"Sakura... He's..."

"Come on Kakashi sensei!" demanded Sakura with her eyes still watering, legs shaking but expression determined as she walked passed him. Kakashi wasn't going to stand in her way. He knew she would go despite his reluctance. As she went on, he stood there close to tears but closed his eyes before following Sakura back.

* * *

As soon as she arrived, she rushed to the hospital.

"Naruto, you're going to be fine," she whispered to him.

Tsunade soon got word from Shizune from the hospital and reach there as quick as she could.

"Lady Tsunade... it's Naruto... H-He's... dead..." Shizune informed. Tsunade looked into the room to see Sakura slouched over him crying uncontrollably. Tsunade felt tears build up in her eyes but shut them.

"Don't disturb her. She needs to come to terms with his death."

"Yes... m'lady..."

Tsunade walked off down the empty corridor whilst a few tears rolled down her cheek and soon, Sakura's cries turned to silent weeps.

"W-why... Naruto...? Why are you so reckless all the time...? You're so stupid... You're so stupid! You always push yourself too far..." she whispered to him, "I was your teammate Naruto. I was here to help you. You can't always do it on your own. Sometimes... Naruto... You can ask for help... I was always there for you... Why'd you have to go and die...?" she paused and forced a smile as she said, "You know Naruto... Worst thing is... We never got to go on that date..."

* * *

Hours later, Kakashi arrived seeing Sakura asleep on Naruto's cold body. He sat on the opposite side as he spoke to Naruto, "Naruto... How could you call me sensei when I wasn't there for you... I always taught you teamwork but you never really used it... Teamwork is what keeps us alive. But you always want to do it on your own. Always. But I shouldn't be scolding you now... I told you that shinobi are those that endure and you have endured. You've become a fine shinobi worthy of being Hokage... And, for that, you were a great student."

Kakashi left Sakura alone in the room to sleep on her feelings and, when she woke up, she stood and exited the room with her head slightly lowered and her face obscure. She walked down the street not knowing where exactly to go. She couldn't think straight.

"Sakura! What are you doing out so late?" Ino asked as she ran up to her. She stood there waiting for a reply but Sakura just kept walking past her, "Sakura...? Are you ok...? Hey! Sakura! Wait for a second!" She caught up to her and asked, "What's going on Sakura? Was it a mission? Was it Naruto again?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks holding back tears, "N-Naruto..."

"What? He's injured? I'm sure he'll be fine Sakura."

"No... It's not like that..."

"You should go home. If you're in this state, you shouldn't be out walking through the village like this."

Sakura carried on walking. She couldn't say it. She didn't want to hear it ever being said.

* * *

"Hey, you guys are here too? I thought it was just us. Maybe it's a joint mission." Kiba said to Shikamaru, Ino and Choji whilst walking to see Lady Tsunade with Hinata and Shino the next morning as Sai tailed them.

"I know, it's troublesome but Lady Tsunade says it's really important." Shikamaru replied.

"Maybe Sakura and Naruto are coming too," Choji said.

"I don't know, I saw Sakura last night and she wasn't in a good mood and Naruto was injured apparently."

Once they entered the room, Neji, Tenten and Lee were there too.

"Come in." Tsunade said, "Now you're all here. I'll begin. Yesterday, as some of you may know, Naruto left the village in pursuit of Sasuke,"

"Um-hm, Sakura told me before... No... What's happened..?" Hinata said.

"Sakura and Kakashi found Naruto at the Valley of the End on the water and brought him back to the village. However... when he got here... he was already dead..."

"What...?" Lee said under his breath.

"Naruto...?" Hinata whispered with her lilac eyes glistening with water.

"No... Not Naruto..." Shikamaru said. Hinata already had tears streaking down her face, Neji and Tenten were too shocked to say anything, Kiba and Choji couldn't believe it. Shino and Sai didn't utter a word and Ino was holding back tears...

"That's why... That's why Sakura was so torn up..." Ino said.

"A service will be held at four today in memory of him. You may leave now."

"Yes, m'lady." Shino said. They all left and once they went down the stairs, they went their separate ways.

* * *

Once four came, everyone gathered at Konoha's cemetery for Naruto's service. Villagers even gathered outside and, even though they may not have known him too well, they heard what he had done for the village. And, for that, they were grateful. People paid their respects to him one by one. Konohamaru was crying, so was Hinata and Ino. Kiba and Choji and Tenten felt like crying, Shino, Shikamaru, Neji and Sai bowed their heads respectively along with Kurenai, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, Iruka and many others. They couldn't think of never seeing Naruto's eager face and hear his determined voice. One of the Leaf's respected heroes gone. Forever.

A mixture of sadness, sorrow and despair blanketed the village.

After shutting out her emotions and keeping herself strong, when it came to her, she couldn't hold up the act. She broke down and shed mournful tears.

"This wasn't what you would have wanted... You wouldn't have liked to see us crying..." she said. And, at the end, they all stood silent remembering the things he did, the things he said.

_"And my future dream is to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody. Somebody important!"_

_"Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run! You can act tough all you want! You're not gonna scare me off! No way! I don't care if I DO get stuck as a genin for the rest of my life! I'll still be Hokage someday!"_

_"I'm not gonna run away, I never go back on my word! That's my nindo: my ninja way!"_

_"I am strong because I have people to protect."_

_"That's why we endure… We are ninja. I will never forget. And anyway, that wound means that my friends are still inside me. The real friends are not the ones I created in my dreams not to get hurt… That would be erasing the real ones."_

_"Dattebayo!"_

___"Don't you worry about me. Until I become Hokage, I don't care what happens.. I am not gonna die!"_

"Goodbye... Naruto..."

To be Hokage. That's what he wanted. It was his dream. He wanted to be Hokage. One that could relate to his fellow shinobi. One that could stop all war. One that could strive to create happiness not sadness and despair. One that could find peace in the world of shinobi for his master. But, for him, one day, it all stopped. War, sadness, despair. Happiness was what he felt. No more heartbreak. No more tragedy. No more sorrow. Just love and joy. Finally, he could join his beloved father, mother, past friends and be happy.

**That was Naruto.**

* * *

**Please write a review let me know what you think!**

~ After watching a few depressing episodes, I just really wanted to write a saddening story. So... Yeah... Sorry if it wasn't up to scratch...~

~ YawnyPenguin ~


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